If the Slipper Fits
by Optimus Prime's little girl
Summary: "Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked startled to see the young woman. "I'm sorry!" Kagome said fleeing from the room. Sesshomaru was too confused to follow her... Kagome isn't your everyday type of "Cinderella" and her prince isn't always charming. Will she live to get her not so charming prince? Or will people keep stopping her from reaching her love and happily ever after...?


_**I don't own InuYasha or any other characters :( Rumiko Takahaski does **_

_**Enjoy! And REVIEW!**_

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Chapter One:

The chaos of the market made Kagome smiled; it was her escape from her prison walls. Nodding to the other servants from her household, she tugged her sugekasa into its rightful place atop her midnight black hair. She hated to wear the hat mostly because it made every noise almost five times as loud to her already sensitive ears, but she need the protection of the hat. It cover her two little dog ears from unwanted eyes.

Taking a deep breath she dove into the clamor of the untidy market. The town square market never had real order, it was a first come first served bases. The tents were everywhere which gave very little room for walking from vendor to vendor. The tents were either rickets with nasty tables and dingy looking dealers or made of beautiful silks with crisp clean vendors whose wares would cost simply an arm or a leg.

Kagome grinned to herself as she made her way through the crowds staring at the goods. She loved her 15 minutes of freedom. No chores or orders to listen to and no one constantly watching over her. Her only regret was the silly sugekasa to hide her blood line.

Half demons have never been treated terribly, but many humans distrust the hanyou race because of the lack of control some have over their bloodlust. And the gossip about hanyous sprends quickly because they look so out of place. Not quite human and not quite youkai, and as a result Kagome wore large hakamas with a huge happi and sugekasa to cover petite yet towering frame and dog ears.

Kagome jumped slightly as she the vender closest to her shoved a foul smelling fish under her nose, "It's fresh! Fresh fish! CAUGHT TO DAY!" the toothless man screeched. Kagome backed away feeling sick to her stomach her nose was just as sensitive as her ears.

Turning she looked at the next vendor who was a woman round and pump but wrinkled with age. "Rice and beans! Rice with ginger!" the old woman held out a small handful of uncooked rice with a ginger root. The woman looked at Kagome with a soft smile and nodded to her.

She moved on through the market the smells and sounds leaving Kagome with a migraine. "Miss," a soft voice said from beside her, she nearly missed the voice. Turning she saw a gentle older man surrounded by children's shoes, geta, Jaiska-tabi, tabi, battle boots, women's slippers, and every other type of shoe Kagome could ever think of. "I'm sorry to bother you but I noticed your boots are too large for your feet, yes?"

"Yes, they are. But they work just fine for what I need them to," Kagome said rather upset that he would pester her about her shoe size.

"Oh, I am sorry; I did not mean to offend you but that your feet are very small are they not?" Kagome blushed and glanced down at her boots. She never noticed how truly large the boots looked on her feet. It was one of the few things she had inherited from her mother. Tiny feet ran in her human blood.

"Yes sir they are rather small, it's a curse honestly." She smiled sadly thinking of her dead parents. The man took Kagome's hand and pulled her closer to the booth. He turned and dug through his shoes. When he turned around, in his large hands he held a simple pair of golden slippers. They were woven from golden silk with soft leather padding on bottom. To hold the slippers into place there was two white golden ribbons that would cross up the leg and tie.

Kagome gasped in shock at the little slippers. Did she dare touch such an expensive thing? Her hands were covered in filth, would the slippers fall apart if she touched them? She stood there wondering as the vendor proffered them to her.

"Please Miss… I made this pair of slippers for a young lady of the courts, but I didn't realize her feet would be slightly large for the slippers after the final cuts. And since they are as beautiful as they are, I could not find it in myself to get rid of them. I have been searching for the perfect pair of feet for these slippers."

Kagome stepped close as more people pushed behind her, "And you are thinking that my feet are small enough to fit your slippers." He nodded excitedly, "I will try them on, but I haven't nearly enough money to buy them and I am sure will never have a place to wear them." She quickly took the slippers removed one of her large padded boots and gently slid her foot into the slipper.

Kagome's breath caught as she looked at the slipper on her foot. It fit! She tied the ribbons and took a step spun and turned back to the vendor. If not for the ribbon the slipper might have fallen off, as it was almost too big for her foot. She showed the vendor and he looked as if he was going to cry.

"They fit?" Kagome nodded, "Then they are yours. Take them please? I have had them for far too long." The vendor said as Kagome started to remove them.

"I don't have the money." The vendor took the slippers and wrapped them in a protective cloth and handed them back to her.

"No charge. Take them. You will find a moment to wear them, I promise. Go!" The vender placed them into Kagome's hand, held her hand in his rough palms and smiled with his eyes twinkling before pressing her back into the hustle of the market.

Kagome dropped the slippers into the pocket of her hakama and moved towards the supplies and the servants, confused at the man's gracious gift.


End file.
